history of the mackenzies-第27章

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f　Kilmorack　to　John　Chisholm　of　Comar　stands　to　this　day。　　The　present　Mr　William　Fraser；　minister　of　Kilmorack；　is　the　fifth　minister　in　　lineal　and　uninterrupted　succession。〃　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇

Anderson；　in　his　Account　of　the　Family　of　Fraser；　also　says　that　〃application　was　made　to　the　Pope　to　sanction　the　second　marriage；　which　　he　did；　anno　1491。〃　　Sir　James　D。　Mackenzie　of　Findon　（note；　p。　19）　　however　says　that　he　made　a　close　search　in　the　Vatican　and　the　Roman　　libraries　but　was　unable　to　find　trace　of　any　document　of　legitmation。　　Of　Roderick；　Sir　Kenneth's　fourth　son；　who　was　an　exceedingly　　powerful　man；　the　following　interesting　story　is　toldHe　was　a　man　of　　great　strength　and　stature；　and　in　a　quarrell　which　took　place　between　him　　and　Dingwall　of　Kildun；　he　killed　the　latter；　and　〃that　night　abode　with　his　　wife〃　　Complaint　was　made　to　King　James　the　Fifth；　who　commanded　the　　Baron　of　Kintail　to　give　Rory　up　to　justice。　　His　brother；　knowing　he　could　　not　do　so　openly　and　by　force　without　trouble　and　considerable　danger；　　went　to　Kintail　professedly　to　settle　his　affairs　there；　and　when　he　was　about　returning　home　he　requested　Rory　to　meet　him　at　Glassletter；　that　he　　might　privately　consult　and　discourse　with　him　as　to　his　present　state。　　　Rory　duly　met　him　on　the　appointed　day　with　fifty　men　of　his　〃coalds；〃　　the　Macleays；　besides　ordinary　servants　and　some　Kintail　men。　　While　the　　two　brothers　went　to　discourse；　they　passed　between　the　Kintail　men　and　　the　Macleays；　who　sat　at　a　good　distance　from　one　another。　　When　　Mackenzie　came　near　the　Kintail　men；　he　clapped　Rory　on　the　shoulder；　　which　was　the　sign　between　them；　and　Rory　was　immediately　seized。　　Gillecriost　MacFhionnla　instantly　ran　to　the　Macleays；　who　had　taken　to　　their　arms　to　relieve　their　Coald　Rory　Mor；　and　desired　them　in　a　friendly　　manner　to　compose　themselves；　and　not　be　rash；　since　Rory　was　seized　　not　by　his　enemies；　but　was　in　the　hands　of　his　own　brother；　and　of　those　who　had　as　great　a　kindness　for　him；　and　interest　in　him　as　they　had　　themselves；　and　further　he　desired　them　to　consider　what　would　be　the　　consequences；　for　if　the　least　drop　of　blood　was　shed；　Rory　would　be　　immediately　put　to　death；　and　so　all　their　pains　would　be　lost。　　He　thus　　prevailed　upon　them　to　keep　quiet。　In　the　meantime　Rory　struggled　with　　the　Kintail　men；　and　would　not　be　taken　or　go　along　with　them；　until　John　Mor；　afterwards　agnamed　Ian　Mor　nan　Cas；　brother　to　Gillecriost　　MacFhionnla；　took　Rory　by　the　feet　and　cast　him　down。　　They　then　bound　　him　and　carried　him　on　their　shoulders；　until　he　consented　to　go　along　　with　them　willingly；　and　without　further　objection。　　They　took　him　to　Ellandonnan；　whence　shortly　after　he　was　sent　south　to　the　King；　where　he　had　to　take　his　trial。　　He；　however；　denied　the　whole　affair；　and　in　the　　absence　of　positive　proof；　the　judges　declined　to　convict　him；　but　the　　King；　quite　persuaded　of　his　guilt；　ordered　him　to　be　sent　a　prisoner　to　the　　Bass　Rock；　with　strict　injunctions　to　have　him　kept　in　chains。　　This　order　　was　obeyed；　and　Rory's　hands　and　legs　were　much　pained　and　cut　with　the　　irons。　　The　governor　had　unpleasant　feuds　with　one　of　his　neighbours；　　which　occasioned　several　encounters　and　skirmishes　between　their　　servants；　who　came　in　repeatedly　with　wounds　and　bruises。　　Rory；　　noticing　this　to　occur　frequently；　said　to　one　of　them；　〃Would　to　God　that　　the　laird　would　take　me　with　him；　and　I　should　then　be　worth　my　meat　to　him　and　serve　for　better　use　than　I　do　with　these　chains。〃　　This　was　　communicated　to　the　governor；　who　sent　for　Rory　and　asked　him　if　he　　would　fight　well　for　him。　　〃If　I　do　not　that；〃　said　he；　〃let　me　hang　in　these　　chains。〃　　He　then　took　his　solemn　oath　that　he　would　not　run　away；　and　　the　governor　ordered　the　servants　to　set　about　curing　Rory's　wounds　with　　ointments。　　He　soon　found　himself　in　good　condition　to　fight；　and　an　　opportunity　was　not　long　delayed。　The　governor　met　his　adversary　　accompanied　by　his　prisoner；　who　fought　to　admiration；　exhibiting　great　　courage　and　enormous　strength。　　He　soon　routed　the　enemy；　and　the　　governor　became　so　enamoured　of　him　that　he　was　never　after　out　of　his　　company　whenever　he　could　secretly　have　him　unknown　to　the　Court。

About　this　time　an　　Italian　came　to　Edinburgh；　who　challenged　　the　whole　nation　　to　a　wrestling　match　for　a　large　sum　of　money。　　One　or　two　　grappled　with　him；　but　he　disposed　of　them　so　easily　that　no　one　else　　could　be　found　to　engage　him。　　The　King　was　much　annoyed　at　this；　and　　expressed　himself　strongly　in　favour　of　any　one　who　would　defeat　the　　Italian；　promising　to　give　him　a　suitable　reward。　　The　governor　of　the　　Rock　having　heard　of　this；　thought　it　an　excellent　opportunity　for　his　　prisoner　to　secure　his　freedom；　and　at　the　same　time　redeem　the　credit　of　the　nation；　and　he　informed　the　King　that　a　prisoner　committed　to　the　Bass　　by　his　Majesty　if　released　of　his　irons　would；　in　his　opinion；　match　the　　Italian。　The　King　immediately　answered；　〃His　liberty；　with　reward；　shall　he　have　if　he　do　so。〃　　The　governor；　so　as　not　to　expose　his　own　intimate　relations　with　and　treatment　of　the　prisoner；　warily　asked　that　time　should　　be　allowed　to　cure　him　of　his　wounds；　lest　his　own　crime　and　Rory's　　previous　liberty　should　become　known。　　When　sufficient　time　had　elapsed　　for　this　purpose　a　day　was　appointed；　and　the　governor　brought　Rory　to　　Holyrood　House　to　meet　the　King；　who　enquired　if　he　〃would　undertake　　to　cast　the　Italian　for　his　liberty？〃　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Rory　〃it　will　be　a　　hard　task　that　I　will　not　undertake　for　that；　but；　sir；　it　may　be；　it　will　not　be　so　easy　to　perform　as　to　undertake；　yet　I　shall　give　him　a　fair　trial。〃　　　〃Well〃　said　the　King；　〃how　many　days　will　you　have　to　fit　yourself？〃　　　〃Not　an　hour〃　replied　Rory。　　His　Majesty　was　so　pleased　with　his　　resolution　that　he　immediately　sent　to　the　Italian　to　ask　if　he　would　accept　　the　challenge　at　once。　　He　who　had　won　so　many　victories　so　easily　　already　did　not　hesitate　to　grapple　with　Rory；　having　no　fear　as　to　the　　result。　　Five　lists　were　prepared。　　The　Italian　was　first　on　the　ground；　and　　seeing　Rory　approaching　him；　dressed　in　his　rude　habit；　without　any　of　the　usual　dress　and　accoutrements；　laughed　loudly。　　But　no　sooner　was　he　in　　the　Highlander's　grasp　than　the　Italian　was　on　his　knee。　The　King　cried　　with　joy；　the　Italian　alleged　foul　play；　and　made　other　and　frivolous　　excuses；　but　His　Majesty　was　so　glad　of　the　apparent　advantage　in　his　　favour　that　he　was　unwilling　to　expose　Rory　to　a　second　hazard。　　This　did　not　suit　the　Highlander　at　all；　and　he　called　out；　〃No；　no；　sir；　let　me　try　　him　again；　for　now　I　think　I　know　his　strength。〃　　His　Majesty　hearing　this；　　consented；　and　in　the　second　encounter　Rory　laid　firm　hold　of　the　　foreigner；　pulled　him　towards　him　with　all　his　might；　breaking　his　back；　　and　disjointing　the　back…bone。　　The　poor　fellow　fell　to　the　ground　groaning　with　pain；　and　died　two　day's　after。　　The　King；　delighted　with　　Rory's　prowess；　requested　him　to　remain　at　Court；　but　this　he　refused；　　excusing　himself　on　the　ground　that　his　long　imprisonment　quite　unfitted　　him　for　Court　life；　but　if　it　pleased　his　Majesty　he　would　send　him　his　son；　　who　was　better　fitted　to　serve　him。　　He　was　provided　with　money　and　　suitable　clothing　by　Royal　command。　　The　King　requested　him　to　hasten　　his　son　to　Court；　which　he　accordingly　did。　　This　son　was　named　　Murdoch；　and　His　Majesty　became　so　fond　of　him　that　he　always　retained　　him　about　his　person；　and　granted　him；　as　an　earnest　of　greater　things　to　follow；　the　lands　of　Fairburn；　Moy；　and　others　adjoining；　also　the　Ferry　of　　Scuideal；　but　Murdoch　being　unfortunately　absent　from　the　Court　when　　the　King　died；　he　missed　much　more　which　his　Majesty　had　designed　for　him。　＇Ardintoul　and　Cromartie　MS。　Histories　of　the　Mackenzies。＇

The　following；　told　of　Roderick　and　Kenneth；　the　fifth　son；　is　also　worth　a　placeKenneth　was　Chaunter　of　Ross；　and　perpetual　Curate　of　　Coinbents；　which　vicarage　he　afterwards　resigned　into　the　hands　of　Pope　　Paulus　in　favour　of　the　Priory　of　Beauly。　　Though　a　priest　and　in　holy　　orders　he　would　not　abstain　from　marriage；　for　which　cause　the　Bishop　　decided　to　have　him　deposed。